The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of embroidery machine comprising embroidering implement rods which are mounted and displaceably guided in at least two rows at the embroidery machine, wherein such embroidering implement rods can be connected according to a program to an operatively associated drive rail or track so as to be coupled thereto or decoupled therefrom.
With embroidery machines, especially large embroidery machines of the aforementioned type, the embroidery work is carried out with various repeats, according to the width of the pattern to be embroidered. The term "repeat" as used herein refers to the lateral distance or spacing between the embroidery locations in operation, i.e. between the embroidering tools or implements, the needles, borers or the like. When converting the embroidery machine to a different pattern, the embroidering implements of those embroidery locations which previously were inactive or resting have to be rendered effective and the embroidering implements of embroidery locations which previously were working or active have to be rendered inactive, according to the different or other repeat.
Therefore, there have been known for quite some time various devices which render possible switching-in or activating and switching-out or deactivating individual needles, whether such switching functions be performed manually or by means of mechanically controlled apparatuses.
One such type of manual individual needle switching device has been disclosed in Swiss Patent No. 165,789 granted Dec. 15, 1933.
In Swiss Patent No. 515,372, granted Nov. 15, 1971 there has been disclosed a mechanical switching device for a color and repeat change, which is combined with a manual switching device.
However, with these prior art devices only the needles are switched-in or activated and switched-out or deactivated. Corresponding switching devices for the borers are not provided or they are constructed such that there only is possible the switching of very few combinations, such as disclosed, for instance, in Swiss Patent No. 488,043, granted Mar. 31, 1970.
In contrast thereto, there has been described in German Patent Publication No. 3,023,160, published Jan. 8, 1981 a solution for switching over, according to a program, between the needle and borer and vice versa at every active embroidery location of a Schiffle embroidery machine. In this instance, a common single drive rail serves for actuating both the needles and the borers which are supported by separately displaceable needle bars or borer bars, respectively. For the alternate coupling and decoupling of the borer or the needle at the effective embroidery locations there is provided a control shaft which carries offset cams. In one position this control shaft disengages the needle bars of the active embroidery location from the drive rail and in another position disengages the borer bars of the same embroidery location from the drive rail. There is not provided a possibility, for instance with a repeat change, to activate or deactivate embroidery locations with their borers and needles so as to carry out a different embroidery program.